The group-phase draw for the 2026/27 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup took place in Cairo on Wednesday, with former Tunisia international Oussama Darragi and Cameroon’s Achille Emana appearing as special guests.

Esperance de Tunis, among the leading contenders for the Champions League crown, were drawn in Group A with Petro Atletico, FC Nouadhibou and Wiliete SC. The Blood and Gold have lifted the trophy four times and finished runners-up on five occasions, and avoided a meeting with another major North African side.

However, the Tunisian club will face ambitious Angolan team Wiliete, who eliminated reigning African champions Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend.

Group B places Tanzania’s Young Africans alongside three previous North African champions: Zamalek, MC Alger and Club Africain. Their Dar es Salaam rivals Simba enter Group C, where they will take on RS Berkane, Orlando Pirates and Colombe Sportive.

Group D features 2024/25 champions Pyramids, who are expected to lead the way against Al Hilal, Horoya and Maghreb Fez.

In the Confederation Cup, Al Ahly will meet Raja Casablanca, ASKO Kara and Primeiro Agosto in Group A. One place in Group C remains unresolved, with CR Belouizdad, AS Douanes and Hafia still competing for it.

Quick facts

• Champions League Matchday 1 is scheduled for the final week of November.
• Matchdays 2 through 6 will be played on the weekends of 4-6 December, 18-20 December, 8-10 January, 15-17 January and 22-24 January.
• The group stages in both tournaments will run from late November until the end of January.
• The first two teams in every section will qualify for February’s quarter-finals.

The CAF Champions League group-stage draw is as follows.

Group A: Esperance of Tunisia, Angola’s Petro Atletico, FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania and Angolan side Wiliete.

Group B: Egypt’s Zamalek, Young Africans of Tanzania, MC Alger from Algeria and Tunisia’s Club Africain.

Group C: Moroccan club RS Berkane, Simba of Tanzania, South Africa’s Orlando Pirates and Colombe Sportive from Cameroon.

Group D: Pyramids of Egypt, Sudan’s Al Hilal, Horoya from Guinea and Morocco’s Maghreb Fez.

The CAF Confederation Cup group-stage draw is listed below.

Group A: Egypt’s Al Ahly, Raja Casablanca of Morocco, ASKO Kara from Togo and Primeiro Agosto of Angola.

Group B: Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, Tanzanian club Azam, Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya and Durban City from South Africa.

Group C: either Algeria’s CR Belouizdad, Mauritanian side AS Douanes or Guinea’s Hafia, alongside Maniema Union of DR Congo, Singida Black Stars from Tanzania and Zambia’s Red Arrows.

Group D: USM Alger of Algeria, Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, Mozambican club Black Bulls and Real Bamako of Mali.